Is Dark Matter and Dark Energy Present on Earth?

In summary, scientists have yet to find evidence that dark matter and dark energy exist, but they theorize that they may be responsible for stabilizing galaxies. However, their presence has not been confirmed.
  • #1
BruceNakagawa
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0
If Dark Matter and Dark Energy are so abundant wasn't to be expected that they should be found on Earth?

We can find elements such as uranium on our planet, which is one of the rarest elements fused on Stars, Dark Matter being estimated to account for roughly 20% of the total mass of the universe and Dark Energy about 70%, shouldn't we expect to find it on Earth, the Moon, Mars or orbiting the Sun?
 
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  • #2
Dark matter and dark energy are all around. However neither seems to interact with ordinary matter so they are essentially undetectable.
 
  • #3
mathman said:
Dark matter and dark energy are all around. However neither seems to interact with ordinary matter so they are essentially undetectable.

So how can we ever prove/disprove their existence?
 
  • #4
Some stars move at speeds that should rip the galaxy apart; there is not enough measured mass to supply the gravity needed to hold the galaxy together.

These high rotational speeds suggest that the galaxy contains more mass than was calculated. Scientists theorize that, if the galaxy was surrounded by a halo of unseen matter, the galaxy could remain stable at such high rotational speeds.

source: http://www.eclipse.net/~cmmiller/DM/
 
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  • #5
BruceNakagawa said:
If Dark Matter and Dark Energy are so abundant wasn't to be expected that they should be found on Earth?

We can find elements such as uranium on our planet, which is one of the rarest elements fused on Stars, Dark Matter being estimated to account for roughly 20% of the total mass of the universe and Dark Energy about 70%, shouldn't we expect to find it on Earth, the Moon, Mars or orbiting the Sun?

Dark matter would be evenly distributed as a halo around the galaxy and due to its properties, wouldn't "clump" together like planets and stars do.

To paint a picture of what I mean, imagine that 4 times the entire mass of the solar system where spread out uniformly in a sphere with the radius of the Oort cloud. You would end up with a density of 4.56e-9 kg/ km³.

In other words, the entire volume of the Earth would contain ~5000 kg of dark matter at this density. And this would be spread out evenly throughout the entire Earth. Compare this to the 35,709 metric tons of Uranium processed per year from just the upper layers of the Earth's crust.

And this vastly overestimates the density of dark matter in the galaxy. There may be a lot of it, but it is spread very thinly.
 
  • #6
Meanwhile, the "mass" of dark energy in the Earth would be about 10 milligrams.
 

What is dark matter?

Dark matter is a type of matter that is believed to make up about 85% of the total mass in the universe. It does not emit or absorb light, making it invisible and difficult to detect. Its existence is inferred through its gravitational effects on visible matter and the large-scale structure of the universe.

What is dark energy?

Dark energy is a mysterious force that is believed to make up about 68% of the total energy in the universe. It is responsible for the accelerating expansion of the universe and its exact nature is still unknown. It is thought to be a property of space itself and is not directly detectable.

How do we know dark matter and dark energy exist?

Scientists use a variety of methods to study the effects of dark matter and dark energy on the universe, such as observing the rotational speeds of galaxies, the gravitational lensing of light, and the cosmic microwave background. These observations provide evidence for the existence of dark matter and dark energy, but their exact nature is still being studied.

What is the difference between dark matter and regular matter?

Dark matter and regular matter have very different properties. Regular matter is composed of particles such as protons, neutrons, and electrons, which interact with each other and with light. Dark matter, on the other hand, does not interact with light and its particles are still unknown. Additionally, dark matter is much more abundant in the universe compared to regular matter.

Why is the study of dark matter and dark energy important?

Understanding dark matter and dark energy is crucial for our understanding of the universe and its evolution. These mysterious substances have a significant impact on the formation and structure of galaxies and the expansion of the universe. Studying them can also help us better understand the fundamental laws of physics and potentially lead to new discoveries and technologies.

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